1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the composition, and application of novel silicone compounds, useful as softening, anti-tangle, and conditioning agents for use in personal care, textile and related applications. The properties of these novel compounds containing silicone which makes them well suited for these applications is the fact that they are substantive to fibers, hair and skin and also very mild to the skin and eyes. The incorporation of a silicone component into the molecule results in several additional desirable properties heretofore unattainable. The polymers are more elastomeric rather than resinous, are more oxygen permeable and can be made more hydrophobic.
2. Arts and Practices
The prior practices for providing softening, anti-tangle, and conditioning properties for use in personal care, textile and related applications has been incorporation of quaternary compounds. These materials have been used for many years despite some significant drawbacks including irritation, negative impact on the aquatic environment, build up and yellowing of the substrate upon which they are applied.
Standard quaternary compounds are prepared by quaternization of a tertiary amine with such agents as benzyl chloride or di-methyl sulfate or di-ethyl sulfate or methyl chloride. These materials are relatively inexpensive but offer several key disadvantages. These include yellowing of fabrics, a tendency to build-up upon repeated treatment, and variability in hand (i.e. softness and feel). Standard softeners used are selected from the following classes:
Class #1. Alkyl Imidazoline Quaternary Compounds made from the quaternization of an imidazoline made by reacting diethylenetriamine, and a high molecular weight fatty acid such as stearic acid. The standard quaternizating agents are di-ethyl sulfate, or methyl chloride, or di-methyl sulfate, or methyl chloride or benzyl chloride.
Class #2. Alkyl or dialkyl tertiary amines quaternized with benzyl chloride or di-ethyl sulfate or methyl chloride or di-methyl sulfate
Class #3. Quaternary compounds of ethoxylated, propoxylated or nonalkoxylated amido amines derived from the reaction of a high molecular weight fatty acid like stearic acid and a polyamine like diethylene triamine. The standard quaternizating agents are di-ethyl sulfate or di-methyl sulfate or methyl chloride or benzyl chloride.
Class #4. Amido amine salts derived from partially acid neutralized amines.
Phosphobetaines are examples of more recent attempt to attain a substantive low irritation compound. U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,064 to Lindemann et al issued Jul. 29, 1980 teaches that phosphobetaines can be prepared by the reaction of a phosphate or phosphite salt with epichlorohydrin under aqueous conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,541 to O'Lenick, et al, issued Aug. 11, 1981 teaches the process for the preparation of the phosphobetaines described in Lindemann (U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,064).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,385 issued June, 1982 to Mayhew and O'Lenick, teaches that certain phosphated imidazoline derivatives are useful in some cosmetic products.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,077 to O'Lenick et al issued January, 1989, teaches that nonirritating quats can be prepared by reacting guerbet alcohols and their alkoxylates with epichlorohydrin and tertiary amines. Silicone oils (dimethylpolysiloxane) have been known to be active at the surface of plastic, cellulosic and synthetic fibers as well as paper. Despite the fact that they are lubricants that are stable to oxidation, their high cost and lack of durability has made them cost prohibitive in most application areas. Silicone oils need to be emulsified prior to application. This requires high pressure equipment, surface active agents and generally results in a milky emulsion. Emulsions have experienced stability problems both in terms of freeze thaw instability and upon heating. This has resulted in minimal acceptance of them in commercial products.
Many attempts have been made to obtain a cationic polymeric silicone compound suitable for use in cosmetic and personal care products. One approach has been to use hydrosilation technology to make alkoxylated silicone polymers, used as raw materials in this invention. These materials do not have the substantivity desired to make them suitable for use as fiber lubricants or antistats.
A surprising feature of the compounds of the present invention is their liquid nature, mild nature to skin and eye and compatibility in anionic cationic and nonionic systems. This makes the materials of the present invention very useful in personal care products. The references cited herein are incorporated by reference to the extent applicable. Ratios and percentages are by weight and temperatures are Celsius unless otherwise stated.